Ten people were electrocuted Monday by an overhead high-voltage wire that fell on them during a demonstration outside a police station in India’s northeastern state of Assam, police said.
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A senior official in the administration said over phone from Tinsukia that hundreds of tea garden workers stormed Pengeri police station, demanding that five persons, arrested in connection with the murder of two persons belonging to the tea community, including a woman, be handed over to them.
Singh said the angry crowd wanted to punish the two suspects themselves.
“A group of people from neighbouring villages laid siege to the police station on Monday morning”.
The injured are being treated at Assam Medical College in Dibruagrh, condition of six of the injured is said to be critical.
On April 9, three other accused in this murder case, namely Ramesh Moran, Pabitra Moran and Gandhi Moran surrendered before police at Tinsukia.
Army personnel trying to control the situation after a high voltage cable fell on a group of protesters in Pengiri in Assam’s Tinsukia district following police firing on Monday. In order to disperse the mob, police resorted to blank fire, following which a bullet hit a power cable, which fell on the crowd.
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal condoled the deaths and announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 25,000 to each of the injured. The incident happened at Pangeree Police Station in Tinsukia district of Assam state.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident and appealed to the people to exercise restraint and maintain peace and tranquility.
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It added that the Home Minister immediately got in touch with the Assam government on the issue and asked the government to take suitable steps in this regard. While local media reported that the wire snapped after being hit by stray bullets, Doungel said, “We are investigating the incident”.
